Decorticating surgical instruments and guidance systems with tactile feedback
AssigneeAmendia, Inc.
InventorWilliam C. Tally
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An instrument for selectively decorticating a bony surface is described. The instrument may have a decorticating implement having a truncated scoop on its medial face and an inclined blade disposed on its opposing lateral face. The blade edge may be coincident with the linear distal edge of the truncated scoop. Also described is a method for using such an instrument to selectively decorticate a bony surface in order to prepare it for service as a bone graft bed.
Claims15
An instrument for selectively decorticating a bony surface to prepare it for use as a bone graft bed, the instrument comprising:
- an elongate shaft having a proximal handle, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis;
- a decorticating implement disposed upon the shaft, the implement having a medial face and a generally opposing lateral face, the implement comprising:
- (a) a truncated scoop disposed on the medial face, the scoop comprising a generally shallow bowl terminating along a linear distal edge, the scoop defining a groove positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the groove is sized and shaped to releasably receive a guide wire;
- (b) an inclined blade disposed on the lateral face, the blade tapering in shape from a first thickness toward the linear distal edge to form a blade edge coincident with the linear distal edge;
- and
- (c) a distal notch positioned near a center portion of the linear distal edge, wherein the notch is sized and shaped to releasably receive the guide wire.
A method of selectively decorticating a bony surface in a bone fusion procedure that includes percutaneously accessing a desired motion segment of a patient's spine, wherein the desired motion segment comprises a first vertebral body and an adjacent second vertebral body, the method comprising the steps of:
- inserting a guide wire percutaneously and anchoring the guide wire near the bony surface;
- sliding a decorticating instrument along the guide wire toward the bony surface, wherein the instrument provides tactile feedback about the location of the instrument relative to the guide wire;
- and
- manipulating the decorticating instrument against the bony surface in order to selectively decorticate it and otherwise prepare it for use as a bone graft bed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.